Something About The Joy

Now, I have to warn you , my English professor said, when you discover that there is no ultimate Authority--no Author who supposedly 'gives meaning' to your existence--you may, at first, find yourself fighting a deep depression. She went on, Some students in their early years of university have even been tempted to end their lives when the false worldview they've been brought up to embrace has been deconstructed. She explained that she needed to give us this disclaimer so we wouldn't be caught off guard.  She didn't want any suicides in her class. She was full of encouragement: Realize that you will move on, and your more rational self will adjust to the new reality--your own personal reality.  You will survive and thrive with the realization that no one has the right to define reality for you.  What you decide is true for you is all there is of Truth. Let's put aside, for now, all the obvious questions this statement should have raised in the minds ...

You will make known to me the path of life. In Your presence is fullness of joy. In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.   Psalm 16:11 (NAS) Last Sunday I came home from a week-long trip to Florida and the Bahamas.   I thank God for the good things He has created for our pleasure: white, sandy beaches,  seagulls flying,  dolphins playing in the waves,  good food on the cruise ship, interesting people to meet.  So many good gifts He delights to give us.   And so sweet that He delights in our enjoyment! He loves to watch us enjoying things.   He begs us to throw ourselves onto His mercy and goodness, to abandon ourselves to joy!   He is so good.   But the best blessings on this trip, besides the reality of His loving presence with me as I enjoyed the sand and sea, were my two girls.   I had so much fun being with them.   I am so proud of them--the way they think and act and speak. ...

I discovered a slightly different translation of Amos 3:3 a few weeks ago and it has revolutionized my thinking about my times with the Lord. The NAS (New American Standard) translation says:   "Do two [people] walk together unless they have made an appointment?" Wow.   I'd never thought of my quiet times with God as being meetings, or appointments.   Previously decided upon. Pre-arranged. What a concept! Since my discovery of that translation of the verse, I've made a deliberate decision to see those times we spend together as appointments, and my perception of them has changed in ways that have blessed me. 1.   It's given my quiet time focus.   Appointments are deliberate.   They're arranged for an agreed upon time, in a specific location, with at least some idea of an agenda.   There is a reason for the meeting.   And in the meeting people interact deliberately.   They don't just sit together playing on their i...